Sting and the Dead Man's Rope

This uncommon Englishman is known for some of the most interesting lyrics and musical arrangements in modern Rock and Roll. With or without The Police.

What makes Sting so interesting? The man is a chameleon, changing personalities and styles as he pleases. One momenent an ordinary man, then a prostitute, then a cowboy on a mission. I love the variety of both the music and the words. Sting blends philosophy, politics and social commentary, with questions on faith, love, and lust. He includes literary and historical references, even snippets of his own older songs, in the lyrics and vocals. Extremely engaging.

Dead Man's Rope is the title of a gem found on the Sacred Love CD. Once again, Sting examines the life of the main character:

"A million footsteps, this left foot drags behind my right
But I keep walking, from daybreak til the falling night
And as days turn into weeks and years And years turn into lifetimes
I just keep walking, like I've been walking for a thousand years
Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
If you're walking to escape, to escape from your affliction
You'd be walking in a great circle, a circle of addiction
Did you ever wonder what you'd been carrying since the world was black?
You see yourself in a looking glass with a tombstone on your back
Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain
All this wandering has led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory,
sweet rain of forgiveness I'm just hanging here in space
Now I'm suspended between my darkest fears and dearest hope
Yes I've been walking, now I'm hanging from a dead man's rope
With Hell below me, and Heaven in the sky above
I've been walking, I've been walking away from Jesus' love
Walk away in emptiness, walk away in sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away in anger, walk away in pain
Walk away from life itself, walk into the rain
All this wandering has led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
I'm just hanging here in space
The shadows fall around my bed
When the hand of an angel,
The hand of an angel is reaching down above my head
All this wandering has led me to this place
Inside the well of my memory, sweet rain of forgiveness
Now I'm walking in his grace I'm walking in his footsteps
Walking in his footsteps, Walking in his footsteps
All the days of my life I will walk with you
All the days of my life I will talk with you
All the days of my life I will share with you
All the days of my life I will bear with you
Walk away from emptiness, walk away from sorrow,
Walk away from yesterday, walk away tomorrow,
Walk away from anger, walk away from pain
Walk away from anguish, walk into the rain"

Sting's character discovers there in freedom and hope found in relationship with Jesus Christ. In exchange for our life of brokenness and disappointment, He gives us peace and victory over death. Just like Christ himself experienced in his death and resurrection.

I have to say, I think Sting missed a great opportunity for a play on words. He should have included this verse from the Apostle Paul:
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" I Corinthians 15:55